I'd love the make a lush, beautiful mediterranean garden but I have no idea how to start other than adding topdressing, removing weeds and buying random plants that I like.

Front garden gets intense sun from 11am until sunset, back garden gets the AM sun and is in shade in the afternoon.

The garden perimeters are about 2-3' deep, and in a few areas larger 4-5' deep areas.

How do you go about starting from scratch?

I have picked up Sunset magazine and admired the mature finished gardens, but how do I get started, figure out what plants go where so that when they are mature they all look good together?

I definitely do not want to have to prune weekly just to get up the front walk, which I do right now for the only 3 living plants in the garden, which the PO placed in exactly the wrong locations! One of them has thorns and grabs me as I walk by, I am going to have to remove that thing.

In terms of soil prep, what I have right now is bare soil pretty packed-down looking (not watered in a couple years other than by winter rain) and not up to the level of the patio and walkway. I think I will need to add about 4" of soil, should I add topsoil, compost, or is something else recommended such as a mixture? i will mulch the top to help retain water, too.

Here is an example of what I have to start with:

Back patio - taken in winter before we bought the place

Front walkway with horrible overgrown ugly shrubs (even worse now) and ubiquitous ivy.

Another view of the front walkway taken during our renovation, the trash is gone now and next the ivy and shrubs need to go.

Any advice on removing these types of shrubs?

As for design, there are some good websites where you can get ideas and even free garden plans that might help. I like http://www.bhg.com/gardening/, and http://www.sunset.com/garden/.

Repetition is a good way to make your garden attractive and pulled together, choose some plants and get a lot of them instead of planting one of everything you love. When I did my new streetscape garden last year I used mostly lavender, sage, and ornamental grasses, and I got half a dozen to a dozen of each type of plant. Also, don't forget bulbs for seasonal color, poisonous ones that critters won't eat (like narcissus and belladonna lilies) will come back year after year.

Congratulations on your purchase and your garden.
You will be able to create a little paradise in your yard.
Since you have such small beds, be sure to check here on the eventual size of plants before you plant them.

Getting rid of the ivy and the nandina takes a bit of time. They are stubborn regrowers.

My girlfriend Alison has a similar situation to yours, and she uses shepherd's hooks and huge pots to extend the appearance of her narrow beds. She had to give up on killing the ivy, since hers creeps under the wood fence from the common area. I'll try to get some photos so you can see what she has done with the same space.

What fun you will have!
Renee

The best way to start is to look at gardens whenever and where ever you can, look and look and look, in magazines, in walks around the neighborhood, on blogs, and decide what you like and don't like.

You can plant what you like, and pull things out and try new stuff and pull things out and try new stuff and gradually get the look you want and gain experience and knowledge in the process, OR you can find a professional designer to give you a decent design right away with much less effort and time on your part.

The first method ends up costing more than the second, but you've gained experience and knowledge and hopefully had fun doing it. The second method--is for those who don't have the patience, interest, time and energy.

Many Ceonothus can get really really large, so choose carefully!

It's not shady actually, those pictures were taken on overcast days early in the morning, the back is shady in the afternoon but the front has no shade at all from 11:00am - sunset. There are no trees nearby so only shade is from the fence when the sun is low.

I would like to give the appearance of a denser garden by using different plant heights, and I will definitely used some pots on the concrete to enlarge the planted area - especially at the back and the large area in front of our kitchen window.

As for a garden designer, I am a DIY kind of person - you should see what I have already done to the inside, over in the home decorating forum :)

Is there a reason I'd have to wait for fall to plant? I know that many plants would do better if planted then, but I want to have something other than bare dirt and weeds to look at all summer! Would plants such as lavender be OK planted this time of year? I have potted dwarf Meyer lemon tree which I think I will keep in the pot.

Since you've just moved into your new place why not use the next few month to figure out what you want and do research on plants that grow well in your area and in your sun/shade conditions? You could always grow veggies, which are mostly annuals, for quick results while you're waiting to put more permanent plants in the ground. If you're in a hurry, buy started veggie plants so you don't have to wait for seeds.

You might also look into local garden groups and meet other folks who can give you great advice about what plants they've been successful with.

Draw a scale map of your garden areas and make copies, then play around with "planting" things you're interested in until you find the combinations that work well for you. I use a super-simple old CAD program to do all my garden designs on a computer - so much easier to move plants around when all I have to do is a couple of clicks. Study how big the plants you like will get and be honest with how much room you have in each area. You can crowd plants a little, but there's no point in buying something that will get 6' wide if you only have a 4' space to plant it in - you don't want to be pruning it endlessly.

I know it's sooooooo hard to wait, but planning a great garden can be lots of fun, and the more homework you've done the less $$$$ you'll spend in the long run on plants that aren't suitable but which you just couldn't resist.

By the way, if you have your heart set on lavender, be sure to purchase dwarf varieties and to put them where they get good sun and excellent drainage.

My friend Alison has promised to send some photos to me this weekend- I'll post them when they get here.
Renee

Kay

You might find that once you start watering, dormant weed seeds will start to sprout. So you might want to water a few times after you add your soil, etc. so the dormant seeds will sprout. Then you can remove the entire weed now. Fewer weeds later on in fall.